This invention relates to a charging car adapted to move above a battery of coke ovens, and more particularly to such a car including hoppers associated with charging holes aligned in rows which extend parallel to the longitudinal axes of the coking chambers. The present invention is specifically directed to a novel charging car having an improved construction and relationship of parts to provide unobstructed gangways for workmen to move along the oven roof.
The size of the hoppers on a charging car for a battery of coke oven chambers has increased to meet the demand for increased volumes of coal to be heated in the chambers of the coke ovens for the purpose of dry distillation. Larger volumes of coal are required because the height of the coking chambers has been increased to fulfill present-day requirements for a greater quantity of coke from each coking chamber. As is known, a charging car supports these hoppers in a generally side-by-side relation so that they extend substantially across the entire width of the battery of coke ovens at the top thereof. This is particularly undesirable because it prevents access to the top of the battery of coke ovens along the length thereof for the purpose of performing servicing operations. Thus, for example, it is difficult for workmen to check the heating flues between the coking chambers through inspection openings in the oven roof because of the constant need for the workmen to get out of the way as the charging car passes by them along the oven roof.
Free space on a coke oven roof is particularly restricted when there is a gas-collecting main and associated ascension pipes which are also near the oven roof at the coke side as well as at the machine side of the coke ovens. Notwithstanding the added expense for material and labor, the use of two gas-collecting mains has become increasingly popular for several reasons. These reasons include a reduction to the pressure load of the gases. Moreover, when a gas main is used to separately extract the gases liberated during the charging of coal into the coking chambers so as to reduce atmospheric pollution, then the use of two gas-conducting mains is required to separately extract and discharge the distillation gases liberated during different phases of the distillation process.